First drive: Mazda unveils 626 replacement

MAZDA has lifted the covers off its 626 replacement, the first fruit of a massive new-product program and hard evidence that the Ford-controlled car-maker is now committed to producing desirable and driver-focussed cars throughout its stable.

To be called Mazda 6 when it arrives here next September, the mid-size sedan, hatch and wagon range is based on an all-new (and larger) platform and in one fell swoop implants a new design and engineering outlook into its character.

Mazda's managing director of product strategy, design and product development, Phil Martens, said Mazda 6 is a "no excuses" driver's car which will show the way for all future products - including nine new vehicles to be introduced in Australia over the next 24 months.

"The Mazda 6 is a significant piece of work. It's not just a product, not just what the customers get it's really a statement about where we want to go with the brand," he said.

A glance at the car shows what he means. The cautious, conservative approach to sculpting cars has gone, replaced by an athletic and assertive look that draws inspiration from prestige European marques such as Alfa Romeo.

The interior continues the theme, presenting the front occupants with a distinctive metallic centre console - but without compromising core values such as ease of use.

A longer (2670mm) wheelbase with the wheels pushed to the edges has also helped improve ingress and egress and bring more space to the cockpit, rear compartment and luggage areas.

Of the new range of engines available, Australia will go it alone with an all-alloy 2.3-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine featuring sequential valve timing and producing 122kW at 6500rpm and 207Nm of torque at 4000rpm.

Mazda claims the engine, which uses premium unleaded petrol, out-performs the competition - though it has not been forthcoming with acceleration times. It also states the engine meets the tough Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) criteria.

Europe will gain access to a new 2.0-litre common rail diesel engine, while left-hand drive markets such as the United States will have exclusive rights (for the foreseeable future) to a revised 163kW version of the Ford-sourced 3.0-litre petrol V6.

The Tribute four-wheel drive is expected to pick up the modified V6 in its next major upgrade, expected in about 12 months.

Not stopping at the engine, Mazda engineers have improved the shift quality of the standard five-speed manual transmission, shortening the throw, reducing the effort between gears and using dual synchronisers for first and second.

The optional four-speed automatic also came in for an overhaul, with shift response times reduced by up to 30 per cent.

On the chassis front, engineers have overhauled the steering, suspension and brakes in an effort to dramatically improve the driving dynamics. Most work in this department has centred on the suspension while the front end uses a heavily revised (double wishbone) strut design, the rear now features a compact multi-link configuration.

Mazda's familiar triple-H body construction continues to form the basis of occupant protection, however a wide range of structural modifications were implemented to improve crash performance, particularly in higher-speed collisions.

Dual-stage frontal airbags have also surfaced, along with seat-mounted side-impact airbags for front occupants and a curtain airbag covering the side windows from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.

The question now is how many airbags will Australian models have available at launch. Two, four or six? Local specification has not been confirmed, however Mazda Australia public relations manager Alastair Doak said the range would be at least as well equipped as the current line-up and should incur only a small increase in price.

A sports kit with a more aggressive front bumper, aero body parts, body-coloured grille, revised headlamps and unique alloy wheels will also be made available.

DRIVE IMPRESSIONS:

Mazda designers have clearly looked to Alfa Romeo for inspiration with the 6, using subtle hints like the hatch roofline and tail-light treatment as well as more obvious details in the form of temperature controls and air vents.

Heck, in this context even Mazda's five-point grille starts to look a bit like an Alfa shield! Thankfully, the Japanese have not followed Italian logic and allowed interior decoration take precedence over functionality.

The driver is well catered for with reach and height adjustment for the three-spoke steering wheel, improved pedal placement, positioning of cruise control switchgear on the steering wheel rather than on a separate stalk and provision of a useful pump-action lever for altering the height of the supportive, anti-whiplash front seat.

Despite the dazzling titanium centre console and chrome in the instrument cluster, all major controls and gauges remain simple to either view or use.

Room liberated in the rear seat is immediately obvious - three kids (sans child restraints) will be accommodated with ease, while two adults of average size will have no problem sprawling out in the sedan or wagon. Rear headroom in the hatch is restricted somewhat with the coupe-roof design imperatives.

All seating positions have a head restraint and three-point seatbelt, however the centre-rear passenger across the range must use an awkward key-release mechanism for the seatbelt. A stronger rear seatback would have negated the problem.

Boot space is generous in all variants and seating versatility excellent by virtue of the clever "one-touch" seat fold operation. As the name implies, pulling a lever from the luggage area will prompt a portion of the 60/40-split rear seat and headrest to fold down to create a flat load floor from the rear of the vehicle forward to the front seats - just so long as the head restraint is pushed down on the seatback and the front seat isn't at its rearmost position.

Most importantly, a brief circuit-bound stint in a left-hand drive pre-production sedan gave a strong indication that Mazda has indeed transformed its mid-sizer from a rather mundane form of transport into a car that is rewarding to drive.

While the chassis offers lots of entertainment through solid and predictable front-drive handling and accurate, well-weighted steering, the real highlight of our taste test came via the 2.3-litre engine.

Of course we're disappointed that Australia won't be getting the 3.0-litre V6. But the 2.3-litre inline-four is a sweet and powerful unit that shows a sense of purpose throughout the rev range and makes an excellent pairing with the clean-shifting five-speed manual gearbox.

With a new Holden Vectra and Toyota Camry debuting around the same time, Mazda is going to find the shrinking mid-size segment as tough as ever to conquer.

But this brave car is sure to win favour, particularly from those who currently equate 626 with their local bus route rather than a vehicle worth aspiring to.

Mazda 6 is going to fix that - and not just with the change in name.